Drying apparatus for plates of metal and other material



R AM 3 @4 Jan 1111 W3 C. WAGNER ET AL.

DRYING APPARATUS FOR PLATEs OF METAL AND OTHER MATERIAL.

3 SHEETSSHEET I FILED SEPT. 29, 1920.

Jan 523, M230 L443JW4 C. WAGNER ET AL.

DRYING APPARATUS FOR PLATES OF METAL AND 0THER.MATERIAL.

FILED SEPT. 29, 1920. 3 SHEETS'SHEET. 2

INVEWTORS Kwazms Mau a-w Ar/WJT Wawwm;

Jam W230 11 M3 1M C. WAGNER ET AL,

DRYING APPARATUS FOR PLATES OF METAL AND OTHER MATERIAL.

FILED SEPT. 29, 1920. 3 SHEETS'SHEET 3 Patented Jan. 11kt 12..

CHARLES WAGNER, 0F GRANTWOOD, AND AUGUST HORMEL, 91E JERSEY CITY, NEW

' JERSEY.

DRYING APPARATUS FOR PLATES 9E METAL AND OTHER MATERIAL.

Application filed September 29, 1920. Serial No. ll-19,995.

To all whom it mag concern: v

Be it known that we, CHARLES WAGNER and AUG ST HoRMnL, both citizens ofthe United States, and residents, res ectively, of Grantwood, in thecounty of Fergen and State of New Jersey, and 260 Griflith Street,Jersey City, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefullm provernents in Dryinrr Apparatus for Plates of Metal and UtherMaterial, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in drying apparatus for plates ofmetal and other material.

The present "invention is an improvement upon thev apparatus describedin applicants Letters Patent numbered 1,293,261 of February 4th, 1919,and applicants prior application Serial No. 340,201 filed November 24th,1919.

One object of this invention is the provision in a drying apparatus,-comprising an elongated enclosed and heated casing having conveyingmeans preferably movable in opposite directions .therethrough to conveyplates resting on one of their edges of means for automaticallydelivering and stacking the plates to lie flat or in horizontal positionafter the passage through such drying casmg.

Another object of our invention is to procure simple means for swingingthe lower edge to enable a sliding of the plates by gravity intohorizontal flat position in stacks and to this end we utilize theturning movement of the conveying and carrying means of our prior patentand application in combination with a guide rail for moving or swingingthe plates vertically into an in clined position from which they areadapted to slide by gravity into flat stacked position.

Another object of our invention is to provide means for accelerating thedelivery of such plates from the machine and still another object of ourinvention is to guide the throw or delivery movement to cause the platesto drop at a proper degree of angularity to prevent denting ofpreviously stacked plates.

Another object of our invention is the provision in such a dryingapparatus having oppositely movable conveyers of simplified means fortransferring plates from one conveyer to the other or from a top orrearwardly-moving conveyer to a bottom or for wardly-moving conveyer.

Another object of our invention is the provision of plate-aligning rodsmovable in opposite directions toward the axis of the conveyingcompartment or compartments and adapted to contact with the oppositeedges of the plates and to move the same into proper alignment and intocontact with the carriers, chains or transfer mechanism.

Another object of our invention is the provision of guide railsextending parallel and adjacent to the conveyer chains and adapted toenable the guiding through the conveyer compartment of a plate which hassli ped or moved off the chain.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention comprises thecombination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-actand cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions andthe accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises inone of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of apparatusembodying our invention, the top of the casing being cut away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the front of the apparatusshowing a portion of the feed mechanism and the delivery, ejecting orstacking mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a similar enlarged side elevation of the rear end of themachine, the easing being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a. section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4:-4t of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fi 2.

Referring now to these drawings which illustrate a prefered embodimentof our invention, our improved plate drying apparatus embodies thefollowing elements T he casing.

An enlongated casing which, as shown, has a metal frame 1, a casing orcover of sheet metal 2 and a lining 3 of suitable heat resisting orinsulating material such as asbestos. The casing is, as-shown, closed attwo sides, on top and at the rear end, while it has openings at theopposite or front end to permit the feeding and delivery of plates atthe same end. The casing maybe heated in any suitable manner and isprovided, as shown, with heaters comprising perforated pipes 4constituting burners which are adapted to receive gas or other suitablefuel from any suitable source not shown. The burners, as shown, passthrough inverted U-shaped hoods 5 which assist in effecting a uniformdiffusion of heat.

T he convey e1.

Mounted within the casing is a conveyor preferably comprising a pair ofendless conveyer chains 6 extending parallel and in suitable spacedrelationship to each other and adapated to convey plates as shown, inone direction or rearwardly and also suitably mounted below the conveyer6 in suitable spaced relation thereto is another conveyer, preferablycomprising a pair of endless conveyer 0 sins 7 adapted to convey platesin the opposite direction or forwardly. These conveyor chains may bemounted in any suitable manner and as illustrated, the upper chains 6are at their opposite ends mounted upon pairs of sprocket wheels 8 and 9fast on shafts 10 and 11 respectively; and the lower pair of chains aremounted at opposite ends upon pairs of sprockets 12 and 13 fast u onshafts 14 and 15. The shaft 10 is, as illustrated, driven synchronouslywith the shaft 14 from a power shaft 16 which is rotated from anysuitable source of power such as the pulley 17 and transmits powerthrough the intermeshing beveled gears 18 and 19 to the worm 20 on theshaft 21 which meshes with the worm wheel 22 on the shaft it of thesprockets 12. On shaft 21 is also mounted a s rocket 23 which transmitsthrough the c ain 24 to the sprocket 25 on the shaft 26, on which shaft26 is mounted a worm 27 which meshes with a worm wheel 28 mounted on thesaid shaft 10 on which the sprockets 8 are mounted. It will be obviousthat this transmission causes the shafts 10 and 1ft to rotatesynchronously in opposite directions for the purpose of driving theconveyer-chains 6 and 7 respectively.

T/lie carriers.

The upper pair of conveyor chains 6 have suitably mounted thereon aplurality of carriers 29 which, as shown, comprise frames preferablyformed of a strand of wire con nected at its opposite ends to theopposite members of the pair of chains and bent intermediate their endssubstantially rectanthree sections, as il gular in conformation, eachframe has, as shown, wire reinforcements 30 and 31 secured at one end tothe top and opposite sides of the carrier frame 29.

Feed mechanism.

In the preferred embodiment shown, a suitable automatic plate feedmechanism is arranged at the front of the machine and such mechanism ispreferably provided with means for timing or synchronizing the movementof the plates to correspond with the movement of the carriers asillustrated in our co-pending application Serial No. 340,201, the platesbeing fed intermittently and synchronously with the movement of suchcarriers on feed belts 32-33 from which they are picked u by thecarriers 29 as they revolve about tlie sprockets 8 and are permitted toslide by gravity on to the conveyer chains 6 by which they are thenconveyed in vertical position to the rear of the machine.

The transfer roller.

At the rear of the casing and as shown between the two members of thepair of conveyor chains 6 and on the same shaft 11 on which are mountedthe sprockets 9 for the said conveyor chain 6 is mounted a groovedroller 34 referably composed of ustrated, to permit the insertionbetween such sections of ejecting means for positively removing theplates from the grooves in case the same fail to drop by gravity afterthey have travelled into proper position in relation to the lower chainsor 1n case the same become jammed in the grooves or otherwise stucktherein. The said roller 34 is, as more particularly shown, providedwith radial plate grooves 35 for the reception of the lower edge of theplates, which grooves preferably extend lengthwise of the roller fromend to end thereof. These grooves are provided with widened mouthsformed by inclining the opposite walls 36 of eachgroove at the mouththereof contiguous to the periphery of the roller so that the walls ofadjacent grooves come to a pointed rib 37 extending lengthwise of theroller. In order that the plates H131) drop by gravity into the radialgrooves 35. the plates in their travel adjacent to the said roller 34are lifted out of contact with the conveyor chains by the guide rods 88which are, as shown, mounted in the cross bar 39 and extend over thelower roller 34- with the terminals thereof in such position that aplate when moved forwardly along such guides 38 will at the end of itstravel on such guides drop by gravity into the mouth 36 of the radialgrooves 35 and will there after fall down into the radial grooves 35% nthe roller and will in such grooves in All till! carried bythe rollerand caused to revolve about its axis in shaft 11. During the horizontalportion of the travel of the plates,;

ported and moved by said grooved roller and forward carrier until theplate reaches a radial position below the horizontal, whereupon it willslide along its supporting forward carrier until the opposite edgethereof contacts with guide rails 40 along which guide rails 40 it willtravel by gravity or will be pushed by the rear carrier until the saidopposite edge thereof comes'into contact with the lower conveyer chains,by which it will be conveyed on its forward travel through the casing,the carriers retaining the plates in upright or vertical position onsuch chains.

The rails 40 are preferably adjustable to enable the handling ofplates'of varying heights without an undue amount of sliding movement betweenthe grooved roller and such guide rails and for this purpose such railsare preferably pivoted at 40 on the supporting bars 7* for the upperstretch of the lower conveyer chain 7. Any suitable means may beprovided for adjustably moving the rails 40 about the pivots 40 and asillustrated we provide lever arms 40 fixed at one end on a shaft 40mounted in suitable bearings in the casing 1. The free ends of the leverarms 40 are pivotally connected to links 40 which are also pivotallyconnected with the rails 40. Suitable means is provided for rocking theshaft 40 and, as shown, said shaft is-extended at opposite ends beyondthe casing and each end thereof is provided with a ratchet and pinion 40and a hand-rocking lever 40. Ubviously when the lever 40 is manipulatedby hand the shaft 40 will be rocked and movement will be transmittedthrough the lever arm 40 and 40 to the rails 40 and such rails may belocked in any suitably adjusted .of pivoted rods 41 which, as shown. are

pivoted at 42 and have their outer ends resting on the top edges of theplates for the purpose of applying pressure or we ght thereto to causethe same to be forced nto the grooves 35 in the roller 34.

The means for ejecting the plates from the roller grooves in case thesame adhere thereto or become jammed or stuck therein preferablycomprises an inclined arm 38" which is positioned so as to intersect thearc described by the bottom of the grooves so that in case a plate orplates become stuck or jammed in a groove or grooves they will be forcedout of the same in their forward travel by this ejector arm 38 which, asshown, is supported by arm 38 from the rods 38, said supporting armextending between the sections of the roller 34 between which sectionsgrooves 34 are preferably made for this purpose.

T he (dig mug nnechavfwm.

Tn such travel back and forth through the casing, it frequently happensthat one or more of the plates get out of alignment with the others anddue to vibration and other causes would, if not properly aligned. belikely to fall off the conveyer chains. For the purpose of aligning theplates and obviating the aforesaid difficulties, we preferably provideat opposite sides of the path of travel of the plates upper and lowerpairs of aligning rails 43 and 44 respectively. These rails arepreferably pivotally supported at a plurality of points on the casingand themembers of a pair of aligning rails are'preferably adapted to beactuated simultaneously to move toward the center of the casing and thusto align the opposite edges tical rocking rods 46 which are connectedtocause simultaneous rocking thereof in 0p: posite directions by links 47and 48 and the connecting rods 48-48. Any suitable means may be employedto rock the vertical rods 46 to move the rails toward and away from theedges of the plates and as shown we have provided a lever 49 connectedto one of said vertical rods and extending through a hole 50 in thecasing and having a handle portion 49 for hand-manipulation.

While in most cases the aligning rails 44 respectively will besufficient to prevent the plates from dropping Off the chains, thesemeans require manipulation and adjustment and in order to insure thetravel of an unaligned plate or one that has fallen off the chain, wepreferably provide between and adjacent to the chains 6 and 7respectively a pair of stationary guide rods 6 At each side of the pathof travel of the carrier 6 we also preferably provide doors 43 to closeup the space between the travelling plates P and the walls of thecasing. As shown, these doors 43 are hinged at one side edge on thecasing and are also preferably inclined in the same direction as thelinks 45 and are pivoted at edges to the guide rails 43- and be rockedby such guide rails.

their opposite will therefore The delivery stacking mechanism.

At the front end of the machine, at the end of the travel of the plates,we preferably provide means such as the arcuate guide rails 51 forcausing. the plates to be lifted out of contact with the conveyerchains-and to be guided and supported in cooperation with the carriersin an arcuate upwardly-directed path until such plates reach a positionto permit a sliding delivery thereof outwardly as they are being carriedupwardly by the carriers. At such delivery position, we preferablyprovide means for engaging and lifting the outer edge of the platesawayfrom the carrier and then accelerating the movement of such platesoutwardly with a sufficient degree of rapidity to enable the plates tobe delivered or ejected from the carrier before the same moves past thedelivery position or the plane at which it is proposed to deliver theplates. Our engaging and lifting means for the edge of the platepreferably comprise a series of rollers 52 mounted upon the shaft 53 anddriven, as shown, by sprocket 54, chain 55 and sprocket 56 on the maindrive shaft. The shaft 53 is preferably sup ported on the arcuateguiding rails 51 which is adjustably mounted to move vertically, and, asshown, four of these rails, two outer rails and two inner rails, areconnected at one end on a shaft 57 pivoted in the casing and extendoutwardly beyond the frame of the machine into proximity with the endsof the carriers and are connected at their outer ends by the shaft 53for which they form supports. For the purpose of enabling the rails tobe adjusted and to be locked in any suitable adjusted position, theouter arcuate rails 51 are preferably provided intermediate their endswith hubs 58 having screw-threaded pins 59 extending through slots 60 inthe frame of the machine, a nut 61 being provided for locking the railto the frame. Adjustment of the rails 51 may cause a slacking out thedrive chain 55 and in order to take up the slack on this chain, wepreferably provide a slotted adjusting-am 62 which is pivotallyconnected at 63 on the frame of the machine and has at its outer end apinion 64 adapted to mesh with the chain and to take up the slackthereof by adjustment of the arm 62. The outer arcuate rails 51 areprovided at their outer ends with extensions 65 between'which extensionsis mounted a shaft 66 having mounted thereon a series of deflectingrollers 67 which engage the plate after the start of its meveme t thesame to be deflected in a sligh cause upward carriers mounted on saidchain for direction so as to throw the outer edge of such platesoutwardly and permit a falling: of the same substantially horizontallyor in a slightly inclined path :into a pile oi stuck which, as shown, isformed in a boi; 68 so positioned that its rear wall will step t asliding movement of the edges of the plaice and cause the same to bepiled successively on top of each other, said box preferably being openat its top and also open at one side wall to permit the falling down ofthe rear edge of the plates through the box: without engagement withsuch side wall of the stacking box.

Having described our claim 1. In a drying apparatus of the characterdescribed, the combination with a casing, of conveyer chain mounted insaid casing for conveying plates through said casing, platecarriersmounted on said conveyer chain for retaining the plates in uprightposition on said conveyer chain and delivery mechanism comprising meansfor lifting said plates out of contact with the chain and guiding thesame in an arcuate path to enable said plates to be slid in an inclinedposition oil said carriers.

2. In a drying apparatus of the character described, the combinationwith a casing, of conveyer chain mounted in said casing for conveyingplates through said casing, plate rctuining the plates in uprightposition on said conveyer and delivery mechanism comprising arcuaterails adapted to cooperate with the carriers to lift the plates out oicontact with the conveyer chain and means at the end of said arcuaterails for lifting such plates out of contact with the carrier andcausing the same to be slid outwardly in an inclined direction forstacking.

3. In a drying apparatus of the character described, the combinationwith a casing, of conveyer-mechanisin having parts moving through saidcasing horizontally in opposite directions and in arcuate paths zitopposite ends thereot, plate-carriers mounted on saidconveyer-inechanism in substantially perpendicular relationship thereto,delivery mechanism comprising pivoted arcute rails cooperating with saidcarriers to lift the plates out of contact with the conveyor mechanismand rollers at the ends of said arcuate rails for lifting and slidingsaid plates out of Contact with said carriers during the travel thcreoiin an arcuate path. 7

4. In a di ig apparatus of the character described, oinbination with acasing. of conveyer-niechanism having parts moving; through said casinghorizontally in opposite directions and in arcuate paths at oppositeends thereof, plate-carriers mountcdon said conveyor-mechanism insubstantially pen invention, vuc

pendicular relationship thereto, delivery mechanism comprising pivotediarcuate rails cooperating with said carriers to lift the plates out ofcontact with the conveyermechanism, rollers at the end of said arcuaterails 'for lifting and sliding said plates out of contact with saidcarriers during the travel thereof in an arcuate path and another seriesof rollers arranged outwardly of said first series of rollers in thepath of said plates for tilting the outer edges of such plates upwardlyto permit a sliding of the same into a horizontal stacking position.

5. In a drying apparatus of the character described, the combinationwith a casing, of conveyer mechanism moving through said casinghorizontany, plate carriers mounted on said conveyer mechanism insubstantially perpendicular relationship thereto and aligning rails atthe sides of said plate carriers adapted to engage the edges of platesin their movement by the conveyor mechanism through such casing.

6. In a drying apparatus of the character described, the combinationwith a casing, of conveyer-mechanism moving through said casinghorizontally, plate carriers mounted on said conveyer mechanism insubstantially perpendicular relationship thereto and aligning railsarranged at opposite sides of said plate carriers and means forsimultaneously moving the opposite aligning rails toward the carriers toalign the plates carried by such carriers in their passage through thecasing.

7, In a drying apparatus of the character described, the combinationwith a casing, of conveyer" mechanism moving through said casinghorizontally, plate carriers mounted on said conveyer mechanism insubstantially perpendicular relationship thereto, aligning rails pivotedon rock shafts mounted on the casing at opposite sides adjacent to thepath of movement of the plates, connecting rods and links forcausingsaid rails to be moved simultaneously toward the carriers and means forturning said rocking shafts ea;- tending outside the casing.

8. In drying apparatus of the character described, the combination witha casing, of an endless conveyer chain moving in one direction throughsaid casing horizontally and in arcuate paths at its ends, anotherendless conveyer chain moving parallel to and below said first mentionedchain in the opposite direction, plate-carriers mounted on one of saidconveyer chains in substantially perpendicular relationship thereto andmeans for transferring plates from one conveyer chain to the otherembodying a roller having grooves for the reception of the lower edgesof the plates, and means for guiding the opposite edges of the platesinto contact with the other conveyer chain.

9. In drying apparatus of the character described, the combination witha casing, of an endless conveyer chain moving in one direction throughsaid casing horizontally and in arcuate paths at its ends, anotherendless conveyer chain moving parallel to and below said first mentionedchain in the opposite direction, plate carriers mounted on one of saidconveyer chains in substantially perpendicular relationship thereto,means for transferring plates from one conveyer chain to the otherembodying a roller direction through said casing horizontally and inarcuate paths at its ends, another endless conveyer chain movingparallel to and below said first mentioned chain in the oppositedirection, plate carriers mounted on one of said conveyer chains insubstantially perpendicular relationship thereto, means for transferringplates from one conveyer chain to the other embodying a roller havingradial slots for the reception of the lower edges of the plates andwidened mouths communicating with such radial slots, means for applyingweight at the top of said plates to force the same into the radial slotsin said roller and guide rails for guiding the opposite edges of saidplates into contact with the other conveyer chain.

11. In a drying apparatus of the character described, the combinationwith a casing, of

conveyer-mechanism having parts moving through said casing horizontallyin opposite directions and in arcuate paths at opposite ends thereof,plate-carriers mounted on said conveyenmechanism in substantiallyperpendicular relationship thereto and adjustable closure means forclosing the space between the side edges of the plates and the sidewalls of the casing.

12. In a drying apparatus of the char acter described, the combinationwith a casing, of conveyer-mechanism moving through said casinghorizontally, plate carriers mounted on said conveyer mechanism insubstantially perpendicular relationship thereto, aligning railsarranged at opposite sides of said plate carriers, means'forsimultaneously moving opposite aligning rails toward the carriers toalign the plates carried by such carriers in their passage through thecasing and doors pivoted at one side edge on said aligning rails and atthe other side edge on the casing.

13. In a drying apparatus of the character described, the combinationwith a casing, of conveyer-mechanism having parts moving through saidcasing horizontally in opposite directions and in arcuate paths ends atmounted on said conveyor-mechanism in subcombination With said carriersor plate or plates that may teli enisrc.

snch conveyor mech- 1 eh a casing, 1 moving one direction through saidig inontaiiy and in ercnste paths its ends, -ier endiess conveyer chainmoving p reiiei below said first nie i n the opposite direction, pite-cor. mounted on one of said conveyer c s Fastenticiiy perpendicularrel means for transferring p c veyer chain to the other einh rig aroller having grooves for the rec" JiOB of the iower edges of the pinesone for guiding the opposite edges the pistes into contact with theother conveyer cor-tin and means forpositiveiy ejecti n" the edges ofthe plates from such grooves.

15. In drying of the character direction through said casing horn/ontodescribed, the combination with :1 of an endless conveyor chain mornchain to the other embodying o ro ilw ing grooves for the reception of wedges or the plates, moons for guiding opposite edges of the fates intocontact with the other conveyor chain and ojw? arms arranged tointersect the ore (h by the bottom oi? the rooves for ejecting thepistes the 10111.

In tness whereof, ra e have signer ow names to the foregoingspecification in 1 presence of two subscribing witnesses ViitnessesJosnrr: F. OBvnnr, sinners V. h Hrnn-nn.

